Policies

Alternatives to Zero

Students will be expected to pass ALL assignments and projects in to their teachers.

These steps will be followed to ensure the completion of all assigned work:

Verbal encouragement- go over the assignment with you

Extra time to complete the assignment

Send the work home for homework

Phone call home

Enjoyable activities removed until work is complete

Principal/Parent wrap around meeting

The staff of Spirit of the North, believe you all to be capable of completing assignments. We know you learn valuable skills by finishing assignments and projects.

You can do it. We can and will help, so you do not get a zero for an assignment or project that is not done.

Student Recognition Plan

Spirit of the North Community School

STUDENT RECOGNITION/EFFECTIVE BEHAVIOR

DID YOU KNOW?

At Spirit of the North we have always believed in encouraging and recognizing students in all facets of their education. (academics, athletics, leadership, effort, creativity, initiative, community, teamwork, positive attitude and more.)

Being a school that is cognizant of behavioral based interventions we realize that random reinforcement is key is sustaining positive behaviors. Students understand that they can be recognized with a smile, conversation, a pat on the back, praise, tangibles and edibles, activity, interests and hobbies, sensory stimulation, jobs and privileges and time with trusted adults or peers. The following is a summary of the recognition plan which exists at SNCS.

Our School is an EBS school. The premise of what we do and believe in can be modeled using the acronym STARS. Using this approach we recognize students continually and consistently.

S - Safe and Caring

T - Teamwork

A - Accountability

R - Respect

S - Success

How we recognize students at SNCS:

STUDENT SUCCESS: This is our main priority at SNCS. We want all students to succeed. Teachers continually modify materials and accommodate for students to ensure all students are successful.

STARS-Students receive STARS from staff as recognition of being “caught” following school expectations. STARS are displayed in the foyer. The top half is stapled to the STARS board and the bottom portion is placed in a draw bucket.

Daily STARS Draws: Each day 3 or more names are drawn from our STARS buckets. One name from each grade level. The student comes to the office and chooses a prize. These names are recorded in a book ensuring each child is recognized.

Monthly Assembly Draws: The draw buckets are taken into the gym and draws are made during assembly. Many students are recognized during this time.

Agenda Prizes:Classroom teachers keep track of parent signatures in agendas. Prizes are given out for every 10, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 signatures. All students who meet these milestones are recognized. At year’s end a big draw for a laptop computer is made, students who have reached 175 signatures are eligible to enter.

A.R. STORE and More: This is the third year our AR Store has been opened. Prizes are displayed in our front foyer. Students are able to buy prizes based on points earned from reading and taking a comprehension tests using AR books. (Each book has a set number of points)

Students can spend their points immediately or can save them up for larger prizes. Two times a year the AR Store has a sale and all items are reduced in price allowing students easy access to larger prizes. All students purchased from the AR store last year.

Amazing Reading Race Challenge Rewards: A challenge is chosen each month to see if it can be reached. (pizza party, sundaes, slushies and more) These challenges are created by the school based Balanced Literacy Success Team.

Individual Classes: Classroom teachers have individual classroom rewards. Some classes earn a movie time, game time etc.) These can be co-opertion rewards or individually based. Most importantly the teacher offers praise as a recognition tool.

SUPER STARS, SUBJECT STARS and RISING STARS: Certificates are handed out to students at report card time.SUPER STARS are students that receive 80%+ in 4 Core Subjects,SUBJECT STARS are for students that receive 80% in 1-3 Core Subject,RISING STARS are for students that put in their best effort but are unable to quite reach the 80% standard.

YEAR END AWARDS: At the end of the school year teachers are asked to select an academic student, most improved student and merit student.Language Arts Resource Program also gives out 3 most improved awards during this assembly, one student from each grade level.Two grade 6 Proficiency awards are also given out. The students are selected based on their involvement in the school. Teachers nominate and vote on this. All students celebrate the successes of these students.

Student Empowerment and leadership - All students at SNCS are given the opportunity to work in our Grubb Tubb, serve on student council, build skills in several afterschool programs, as well as in various school clubs such as camera club, set up crew, garbage crew and technology crew. Exploratories ( mini courses) are designed so each child seeks out his/her own niche or success.

Students are recognized when they are in the news, through our In The News Bulletin Board. In addition, students’ successes are displayed on our monitor, in assemblies we speak of their successes. Student’s work featured at times in the monthly newsletter. Newsletter draws encourage students to have parents read the newsletter and comment on student skills.

ARTISTIC RECOGNITION- Students artwork is displayed in frames in hallways. Every month the artwork is returned to the student artist with a plastic cover and a ribbon.

Dramatic Reading- All students are recognized for their bravery in presenting a reading from a book selection. One child from each class presents to the student body. We celebrate their success by giving them a hardcover book.

Character Education-All students including special needs students are engaged in character education through the Lion’s Quest program. All students learn essential life and citizenship skills in responsibility, good judgment, self- discipline and respect for others. Volcano club and empowerment club are supports for students who require specific skills instruction.

Bully Survey- Students are given the power to recognize other students in need and to identify any student who causes harm to others. They are thanked for their input and know that their input is acted upon. This survey is completed twice a year. Students identified as bullies, victims and students identified as needing help are provided programs to teach the behaviors we have them to learn.

Staff - Staff are reinforced for their recognition of students. Staff are acknowledged during assemblies, in Monday memo, in staff meetings and in newsletters for their commitments to kids.

Success Team- Effective Behavior Team

Our effective behavior team meets once a month to go over student success at SNCS. We look over data collected by staff and student attendance data. Hot spots in the school are noted as are hot kids( Kids who are having behavioral issues) Hot Kids who are not seeing successes with changes in environment are targeted for a functional assessment. We then call in a functional assessment team who will write a behavioral plan for that child. The success team for this child will include all parties involved: be it, a pediatrician, teacher, child circle worker or mental health worker, social worker, administration, teacher’s assistant and parents. Together a process will be followed where the child is interviewed, parents are interviewed and data is collected on the behavior of the child. Our hopes are to make the negative behavior extinct. The plan is drawn up and followed through , it is reviewed weekly and adjustments made. Parents must give permission for the functional assessment to begin.

Wow! That is a lot of information for you but we thought you needed to know what is going on at our school. Thanks for your time and we hope you have fun doing your homework!